Conjunctions used with the past continuous or progressive
a) while
b) when
c) because
They are used to introduce two actions that coincided in the past: a long action and a short action:
– Normally the longest action is introduced with while.
– The short action is usually introduced by when and interrupts the longer one
1.We use it to describe an action that started at a specific time in the past, continued for a period of time, and finally ended (in the past). It is formed with the verb TO BE in the simple past (was, were) followed by a gerund verb (cooking, studying, going, etc.)
2.The past progressive is used to describe what was happening at a point in the past while something else was happening.
While my brother was studying I was washing the dishes.
Note: When we find a sentence in the past continuous combined with another in the past simple, remember that:
The past continuous is a longer action
The past simple is a short action.
The birds were singing (estancancantan) when I got up (levanté) this morning.
I wasn't watching (was watching) TV when the football match started.
Were you cooking (you were cooking) when the phone rang (rang)?
BE + Subject or Personal Pronoun +(verb+ing) + Complement+?
? QUESTION
Formula in + :
- NEGATIVE
I was not dreaming They were not doing an exercise
Subject or Personal Pronoun + BE NOT + (verb+ing) + Complement
+ POSITIVE
I was dreaming They were doing an exercise
Subject or Personal Pronoun + BE + (verb+ing) + Complement
4.In addition, it helps us describe or narrate events in the past:
3.We also use this structure when we are expressing an action in progress in the past, and the action intersects or interrupts another. For example:
While my brother was watching TV his smartphone ranged.
While my brother was watching TV his phone rang.
His smartphone rang while he was watching TV > You can reverse the sentence
